Chapter 19: Cilantro Paired with Fish Mint, a Match Even More Perfect Than Mandarin Ducks
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On the verge of becoming a prisoner, Jiu Yao had no choice but to reveal his protective talisman and bark, “Who dares to seize me!”
“I’m acting on behalf of the Right Guard General Ju Wenzhen, procuring rare birds for the Royal Menagerie. These precious birds were all specially requested by nobles of the imperial palace. Who dares to punish me?”
With that, he broke free from his restraints, reached into his waist, and displayed the Right Guard General’s official token.
Even Gouya recognized Ju Wenzhen’s name—the Right Guard General and imperial eunuch who managed the Royal Menagerie, which exclusively procured rare and exotic creatures for the royal family, often at the expense of commoners’ hard-earned wealth. Despite his arrogance and tyranny, the emperor turned a blind eye.
A complicated expression flickered across Gouya’s eyes.
“So? Just because he has the backing of the Jingzhao Prefecture, you dare not arrest him?” Song Ruozhao sneered.
Gouya sighed deeply: “Jiu Yao’s backing goes straight to the imperial court. If he offends the eunuchs there, and they whisper in the emperor’s ear, I’m not afraid to lose my head, but I’m worried about my lord…”
Gouya paused, his expression grave. “My lord’s head isn’t so easy to lose.”
Song Ruozhao blinked. “What do you mean?”
A pair of large hands pulled Gouya’s thoughts back to childhood memories. Gouya’s face was full of sympathy. “My lord has endured harshness since he began his studies. As his companion, I silently bore witness, and from him I learned three idioms…”
“‘Diligent study by the cold window’—my lord sacrifices the warmth of a cozy study to show heaven his effort—”
“‘Hanging by the beam and stabbing the thigh’—my lord’s inspiration comes only from physical pain; whenever he aches, his mind buzzes tirelessly like it’s been injected with adrenaline—”
“As for the lady’s words about his neglect of food and rest, surely it’s because he fears that after eating and sleeping well, there’ll be no more room for knowledge, so he dares not eat or rest—”
“For years, my lord has braved countless colds; the blood from his head and behind could form a small river, yet the meals he consumes can’t fill a single room. Such a method of study would break even the strongest man.”
“Yet from childhood until now, my lord never once fell ill—he truly is iron-bodied!”
“So, this iron constitution means that when the time to behead him comes, it won’t be so easy to lose his head. Dying that way would be unpleasant and painful!”
Listening to this, Song Ruozhao couldn’t help but praise, “Gouya’s thoughts are unique, and his insight profound.”
The officers who were arresting Jiu Yao, their arms aching from holding him, asked, “Shall we still capture the prisoner, Jiu Yao?”
Song Ruozhao replied, “Yes! Since your lord’s head isn’t easy to lose, why not make good use of it!”
Gouya suddenly enlightened, “!!!”
Pei Wenxu’s heart stirred deeply.
On such a glorious day, such gloomy words drifted softly under the sunlight: “You’ve talked so much about that head, but haven’t realized the head is right behind you?”
Everyone turned back—and indeed, there was the head!
“Lady Song, for your merits in capturing the thief, please do us the honor of coming to my Jingzhao Prefecture to have tea and chat.” The head sincerely extended an invitation.
Suddenly recalling how Song Ji had described his tea as “world-shaking,” Song Ruozhao hurriedly warned, “I don’t eat coriander!”
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“Second Lady, your thoughtfulness surprises me after all these years! You remember my preferences!” Pei Jun smiled confidently.
Song Ruozhao was puzzled.
Gouya couldn’t help but interject, “My lord, your answer sounds a bit forced!”
Immediately, the lord instructed, “Gouya, prepare a cup of tea for Lady Song without any coriander.”
Only then did Song Ruozhao relax and agree to visit.
In the kitchen, Gouya brewed tea and suddenly remembered he had forgotten to remind his lord: this person is not a woman!
He is Lord Song, Song Ji, a man disguised as a woman!
He recalled the last time he collected Song Ji’s tea cup—judging from the residue, he truly disliked coriander, but he chewed every last bit of fish mint.
This time, add extra fish mint to the tea!
The pastries too—no coriander, but plenty of fish mint!
That’s because Gouya, despite past grievances, was kindhearted!
Oh, and the lord loves coriander paired with fish mint—don’t skimp on the amount!
...
Within Jingzhao Prefecture, in the most leisurely and elegant pavilion, one could admire the lotus blossoms filling the pond. The buds gradually unfurled, the delicate fragrance slowly seeping into the heart.
Song Ruozhao praised, “This sea of flowers smells wonderful, with the reds and greens interspersed—such a feast for the eyes, truly a symphony of the senses!”
Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxu inhaled deeply the mingled scent of the red and green leaves on the bank, feeling great satisfaction. “Indeed, it’s fragrant. The flowers can be brewed into wine, the leaves steeped into tea, the roots and stems ground as tea condiments or steamed into cakes. This entire plant rivals any delicacy from land or sea.”
“This patch is the pride of my entire family, so we planted many. From last winter through to summer, they have thrived. If Lady Song likes, I will have some picked for you.”
“Fine—its roots, flowers, and leaves truly can make many delicacies! I love all of them!”
Song Ruozhao agreed too quickly and then wondered silently: which lotus could thrive so well in winter?
Before she could ask, Gouya, as if presenting a treasure, came forward to pour the tea.
Amid such beauty, Pei Wenxu carefully inhaled the dreamlike tea’s aroma. The blend of coriander and fish mint was rich and interwoven, more perfect than mandarin ducks!
The tea’s accompanying pastry—coriander and fish mint cake—surpassed any banquet finale.
He gallantly invited the lady before him, “Lady Song, this is the true sensory feast—you must taste it to truly enjoy the scenery.”
With lotus prepared in so many ways, Song Ruozhao had to try them, but as she washed down the strange flavors with tea, an onslaught of unusual tastes overwhelmed her palate.
It was hard to swallow—like a spring gushing forth, she spat it all out in one breath!
Pei Wenxu was surprised: “Could it be that Gouya forgot and added coriander after all?”
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Enduring the greatest bitterness in life was nothing compared to this. Song Ruozhao’s face twisted in agony, her mouth spewed saliva repeatedly, unable to dispel the strange flavor.
Pei Wenxu hurriedly brought a plate of pastries. “These are steamed cakes made from ground roots and stems, absolutely no coriander. Take a bite to suppress the taste.”
Pastries made from roots and stems—lotus root powder cake, naturally. Song Ruozhao gratefully accepted and chewed softly, but her taste buds felt like the end of the world!
This time, her agony was extreme—her senses utterly failed.
Pei Wenxu recalled Lady Song’s earlier praise, how she had greatly admired the red and green fish mint on the bank and acknowledged that flowers, leaves, and roots made fine food.
So why was she vomiting nonstop?
He waved his hand: “Someone, help Lady Song cleanse her face and rinse her mouth!”
At lightning speed, a basin was brought, with a gentle breeze stirring its water, which emanated the unique aromas of coriander and fish mint.
The cloth covering the basin was embroidered with two coriander leaves and a sprig of fish mint—so exquisite, yet so cruel.
The fragile, willow-like lady rolled her eyes back and vomited even more fiercely.
Pei Wenxu was at a loss: “Quick, summon the court physician!”
Gouya was relieved. When he had gone to the fields to pick ingredients for afternoon tea, he had just bumped into the physician, so calling for help was no problem.
Thus, Gouya shouted toward the patch of red and green leaves by the bank, “Doctor, come quickly to save her!”
From the foliage, a handful of fish mint was lifted, the voice itself emitting a refined fragrance: “I’m gathering fish mint for medicine—coming right away!”
Song Ruozhao gasped.
She knew coriander was the leafy herb but was glad to have avoided it.
But she hadn’t known fish mint was the same as fold-ear root!
Drinking tea brewed with coriander and fish mint, eating pastries made with the same ingredients, then rinsing with their infused water?
Such exquisite variety—did they want to kill her?
This was no place to linger!
She struggled to escape, but Pei Wenxu and Gouya tugged her back with equal determination—no one would allow such a pale, delicate beauty, like a sickly willow, to crawl away.
“System, I beg you, save me!”